Electric apparatus.



No. 636,577. Patented Nov. 7, I899. H. W. SMITH &. W. J. BAUGHMAN.ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

(Application filed Apr. 10, 1899.)

' WITNESSES:

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Patented- Nov. 7, I899.. H. w. SMITH & w. J. BAUGHMAN.

ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

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. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

HERBERT IV. SMITH AND WILLIAM J. BAUGHMAN, OF PITTSFIELD, MASSA-CHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO THE STANLEY ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OFSAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 636,577, datedNovember 7, 18 99.

Application filed April 10. 189 9.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, HERBERT W. SMITH and WILLIAM J. BAUGHMAN, citizensof the United States, residing at Pittsfield, county of Berkshire, Stateof Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectric Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

Our invention relates to electrical appararo tussuch as fuse-holders,switches, and the like-and has for its object to provide a safer andmore efficient construction and to lessen or prevent the flashing whichoccurs when an electric circuit is opened by the blowing of a fuse orthe operation of a switch.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly insection, showing a fuse holder embodying our improvement. Fig. 2 is aplan View of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail View of one part. Fig. 4 is aside elevation of a switch embodying our invention. Fig. 5 is a sectionof one of the cylinders of the same. Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, and are detailedviews of various portions.

In the drawings, A is a fuse extending from the metallic terminals Bthrough the small bore of the tube 0, of fibrite or insulating material,to a similar terminal at the lower end of the holder. The fuse A isfastened to the terminal B by a screw passing through a plate D, (shownin detail in Fig. 3,) said plate extending well over the hole throughwhich the fuse passes, which hole in this embodiment forms anescape-passage from the arcing-chamber. At each end of the tube 0 is anenlarged opening E, in which there is preferably a small ball F ofcarbon or other material which is not easily fusible. This ball when thefuse A burns out drops down upon its seat at the lower end of thechamber E, closing the orifice and assisting in quenching the arc. Overthe cap-shaped terminals 13 are slipped other metallic caps or sleevesGr, having projections H, which sleeves make 45 electrical connectionwith the terminals I of the circuit to be protected. The sleeves G arecovered with a coating of hard rubber G or other like insulatingmaterial and have within them air-chambers formed by the one 50 or moreplates or partitions J J, of metal,

Serial No. 712,377. (No model.)

perforated to permit the escape of gas which may be generated upon theblowing of the fuse A. These plates are covered by a cap J. The two endsof the holder are preferably in all respects similar. The projections Hpass between the spring-pressed jaws K K of the terminals 1, so as to becapable of easy insertion and extraction, the fuse-holder being in thismanner easily detachable from both terminals by a single pull. It willbe seen that by this construction the fuse-holder can be disconnectedfrom the terminals I and that the caps G G can be pulled off the ends,leaving exposed the terminals B, to which the fuse is connected. A fusecan then be easily placed in position and secured, and the parts havingbeen restored the device can be thrust quickly into proper contact withthe circuitterminals. 1

Then the fuse A is destroyed, it will normally melt first at about themiddle of the central passage or arcing-space in the tube 0, and the arcresulting appears to cause a slight explosion, which throws both thefused metal and the balls Ftoward the farther ends of the cavities E.The balls immediately close the central passages. The rapid chilling ofthe molten metal due to the metallic ends, with or without the action ofthe balls, results in an almost instantaneous suppression of the are, sothat practically no noise is to be heard when a fuse blows, andpractically no flash is observable. There may be a slight smoke due tothe oxidation of the fused metal and a slight arcing, but the oxid vaporis entirely chilled and condensed in passing around the spreading andchilling plate D and through the perforated metallic plates J J, so thatno appearance of flame reaches the outside.

l/Ve have found that under most ordinary conditions the apparatus issufficient even if the balls F and the perforated plates J J be omitted,though both are desirable, the balls allowing the breaking of thecircuit on a "higher voltage than can be done without them, 5

other things being equal, and the perforated plates serving to mask orkill more completely any are that tends to be developed inside.

The circular disks L L, of insulating material, serve to more completelyseparate the terminals of the circuit and to prevent the danger ofarcing across the terminals outside the tube and lessen the risk of theoperators hand coming into contact with a line-tern1inal. The centralportion between these disks may be made of glass or other transparentmaterial, so that it may be easily determined by the eye whether or notthe fuse has been blown without opening the device. The flag J pivoted011 the cap J, is an additional signal, being thrown into an uprightposition by the explosion accompanying the blowing of the fuse.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. at to 10, inclusive, which showour improvement applied to a switch, 0 0 represent two cylinders ofinsulating material, within which are two metallic rods PP, electricallyconnected by the bar Q and capable of being forced into contact with thetwo circuit-terminals R, as shown in Fig. 5, the two cylinders being ofthe same construction. hen in this position, the springs S S arecompressed and the' parts are held in contact by the catch T. hen thecatch T is released, the rod flies up under the influence of the springsand the circuit is broken. In both cylinders O O at this time arcs tendto form at the points where the breaks occur and to create flashes. Tolessen the arc and prevent the flash, a similar construction to thatheretofore described is adopted. The circuit-terminalsUare mounted uponmetallic caps V,which in turn are surmounted by their metallic caps IV,having partitions W lVQperforated so as to permit the escape of anygases which may be formed. Through the center of the circuit-terminals Uis an opening over which, separated by a slight space, is aspreading-plate Y. It will be seen that any gases or flames which areformed within the cylinder have to pass through the opening X into theair-chamber formed by the cap W and through the perfora tions in theplates W W before they can reach the outer air or be visible, andexperience proves that before this occurs the arc is so chilled as to beextinguished. Electrical connection is made with the circuit through theear Z. The two rods P have at their lower ends enlargements a, which fitclosely within the terminals U and serve to make a good electricalcontact therewith. These enlargements lit quite closely within the boreof the cylinder 0 and are provided with a slight annulus, through whichthere are perforations b, which tend to check and dissipate any arewhich may tend to be forced upward.

It will be obvious that many changes may be made in the constructionherein disclosed without departing from the spirit of our invention.

What we claim is 1. In an electrical apparatus, a pair of terminals, aninclosed arcing-space between the same, an escape-passage therefrom, anda spreading and chilling device over and adj acent to saidescape-passage to tend to interrupt the arc.

2. An electrical apparatus having a pair of terminals, an inclosedarcing-space between the same, an escape-passage therefrom, and achilling device over said passage and located directly in the path ofthe flame from the are, spreading and chilling the same and tending tointerrupt the are.

3. An electrical apparatus having a pair of terminals, an inclosedarcing-space between the same, an escape-passage therefrom, a chillingdevice located over and close to said escape-passage to tend tointerrupt the are, an inclosed air-chamber connected with said passageand an escape-orifice for said chamber.

4.. In an electrical apparatus having a vertical elongated arcing-space,a pair of termi nals, a vertical fuse in said arcing-space electricallyconnected with said terminals, a gravity-actuated stop supported by saidvertical fuse and a seat for said stop surrounding said arcing-space.

5. In an electrical apparatus, the combination of a tube of insulatingmaterial, binding-posts at the ends thereof, a fuse passing through saidtube and connected to said binding-posts, and a chilling device over theend of said tube to tend to interrupt the are.

6. In an electrical apparatus, a tube constituting an arcing-space, aterminal at one end thereof, a cap covering said end of said tube andforming a chamber connecting with said arcing-space, said cap having aseries of diaphragms forming one or more chambers, said diaphragms beingperforated to check the escape of the product of combustion from saidarcing-space.

7. An electric fuse-holder having two removable caps in electricalconnection with the terminals to which the fuse is connected, said capsbeing provided with lateral projections in electrical connection withsaid fuse and vents leading to the outer air, in combination withspring-jawed circuit-terminals, engaging with said projections andholding the fuse-holder in position.

8. In combination a fuse, an inclosing receptacle having a vent, and aflag normally over said vent and adapted to be moved to another positionon the blowing of said fuse to act as a signal, and means toautomatically retain said flag in its said other position.

9. In an electric apparatus, a stationary terminal embracing aspring-socket, a removable portion embracing a tube of insulatingmaterial having an elongated arcing-space therein, a binding-post neareach end of said space, a length of fuse passing through said space andattached to said binding-posts, said tube having a removable cap overone end thereof, and a plug extending laterally from said cap andconstituting a terminal in electrical connection with one of saidbindingposts, said plug being adapted to enter said spring-socket insaid stationary terminal.

10. In an electrical apparatus in combina tion a pair of stationaryterminals adapted to be electrically connected with the line-circuit,one of said terminals being spring-j awed, and a removable memberadapted to connect said terminals embracing a tube of insulatingmaterial having an elongated and restricted arcing-space, a binding-postat each end of the same, a fuse running through said arcingspaceconnected to said binding-posts, and a removable cap for one end of thefuse covering the binding-post and having a plug extending laterallytherefrom in electrical connection With said binding-post, said plugadapted to enter one of said stationary terminals, and a chilling-plateover said arcingspace to tend to break the arcing said cap having achamber over the end of said tube and provided With a vent therefrom.

11. In an electrical apparatus in combination, a stationary terminal, aremovable portion embracing a tube of insulating material having anelongated arcing-space therein, a binding-post near one end of the same,a fuse connected with said binding-post and extend ing through saidtube, means electrically connected with said binding-post and adapted toengage said stationary terminal, and a cap covering the end of said tubeand removable therefrom to expose said binding-post and having a seriesof diaphragms forming a series of air-chambers, said diaphragms beingperforated to check the escape of the products of combustion from saidarcing-space.

12. In an electrical apparatus, a stationary terminal having aspring-socket, a tube having an arcing-space therein, fuse-terminalsattached to the ends of said tube, afuse connected to said terminals, aremovable cap over one end of said tube in electrical contact with thefuse-terminal at that end and having a lateral projection entering thespring-socket in the stationary terminal.

Signed at Pittsfield, Massachusetts, this 7th day of April, 1899.

HERBERT XV. SMITH. XVILLIAM J. BAUGHMAN.

Witnesses:

AeNEs OURTIN, H. M. PLATT.

